Stitch picker



Patented Feb. 13, 1951 STITCH PICKER Artis Ehner Charles, Guntersville,Ala., assignor to Carolyn Chenilles, Inc., New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application April 2, 1947, Serial No. 738,847

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for simultaneously producing aplurality of spaced tufts on a web of texile fabric, and relates moreparticularly to an improved stitch picker for use in connection withsuch tufting machine.

In my 'Patent No. 2,432,469, I have shown and described certain novelimprovements on the multiple needle tufting machine shown and describedin Patent No. 2,335,487 to Cobble, et al., whereby the tufts may bespaced longitudinally of the fabric web a predetermined distance fromeach other. It is an important object of this inventon to provide anattachment for the improved tufting machine described in my said patentto pick or remove from the fabric web certain undesirable stitches.

Other objects of this invention, together with certain details ofconstruction and combinations of parts, will appear from the followingdetailed description and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of my invention isshown;

Fig. l is a rear elevational View of a multiple needle tufting machineshowing my attachment applied thereto;

Fig. 2 shows two views of the picker finger; and

Fig. 3 shows tivo views of the presser linger.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several viewsof the drawings.

Since the multiple needle tufting machine to which my attachment isapplied is fully shown and described in the abo-vementioned Cobble, etal. patent, I will describe this Well-known tufting machine only to suchextent as is necessary properly to disclose the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the reference numeral 4 indicatesthe framework of the tufting machine at the top of which is journaled inbearings such as bearing 5 a drive shaft B. At is known, this driveshaft, through suitable connecting mechanism, actuates all of thefunction elements of the tufting machine such as, for example, thereciprocating needle bar, the looping and loop cutting mechanism, andthe fabric web feed mechanism.

The feed mechanism is substantially the same as that shown in the Cobbleet al. patent, being mounted at'the back of the tufting machine, andcomprises a feed shaft l which is journaled in bearings, such as bearing8, attached to the framework of the machine; Along the shaft I are fixedin any desired spaced relationship a plurality of serrated or tootheddiscs 9 over which the fabric web I I is trained after itis fed past theneedle bank of the machine. For holding the fabric web being tuftedagainst the serrated discs 9, there are provided a plurality of grppersI2, one for each serrated disc, which are mounted on a bar I3 extendingsubstantially across the width of the machine. The bar i3 is fixed to arod r0- tatably mounted in suitable bearings I4 xed to the framework ofthe machine. A handle I5 is fixed to rod to which bar I3 is xed and isadapted to move simultaneously all of the grippers I2 relative to theserrated discs 9. As shown in Fig. l, all of the grippers are in raisedposition, i. e., away from the serrated discs. To place grippers I2 inoperative position, handle I5 is manually lowered from the positionshown in Fig. l, whereupon bar I3 is rotated, causing the grippers I2 tomove over the serrated or toothed discs Si for the purpose of holdingthe fabric web il in contact with said discs, as is well known in theart.

The feed shaft l, as is described in the said Patent No. 2,432,469, maybe intermittently ro tated to yfeed the fabric web I i' a stitch lengthat a time to form a tuft containing the desired number of stitches orloops and then have an auxiliary rotation given thereto so as to causethe fabric web to be moved a distance greater than a stitch length. Thusthere is provided between the tufts a space of any desired length.

As is known, the loops forming the tufts are severed, as formed, bysuitable cutting mechanism. Where the tufts are spaced on a fabric web,a length of yarn bridges the space between the tufts on the reverse orstitch side of the fabric web. This length of yarn, indicated byreference numeral it in Fig, l, comprises part of the last loop in thetuft and part of the first loop of the next succeeding tuft. When theloops are cut, this length of yarn is free to be removed and has usuallybeen removed byhand. In accordance with this invention, these lengths ofyarn I6 are removed automatically by my novel attachment, which will nowbe described.

The means for removing the lengths of yarn i6 Y comprise a rigid pickerfinger il of any suitable. material, preferably steel and presserfingers I8 of any suitable flexible material such as brass, a pickerfinger cooperating with a presser finger to remove the yarn $6-, aswillhereinafter be de` scribed. The picker `finger is formed with a curvedportion iii at its lower extremity and the upper half thereof is twistedat right angles to the u lower portion. The upper portion is bifurcatedat 2i to fit over a screw 22 by which it is adjustably held in a bar2i?. The resilient presser finger i8 is provided with a curved portion24 at the lower extremity thereof. The upper part of the resilientpresser finger is at an angle to the lower part thereof. The resilientpresser fingers are held in a bar in such a manner that the curvedportion 2d of each presser nger is in the same Vertical plane as thecurved portion i9 of each picker finger.

Bar 25 on which theresilient presser fingers are mounted, is fixed andbar 23', on which the picker lingers are mounted, is pivotally attachedto bar 25 by links V26 and is adapted to be moved relative to said bar25. To this end one extremityl of bar 23 is provided with a cam follower27 which is adapted to be received in a groove 28 of a gear 29, mountedon a stub-shaft 30, meshing with and rotated by a gear 3| fixed, as by acollar 32 and pin 33, to the drive shaft 6 of the tufting machine.- Setin a portion of groove 28 is a raised cam 34.

At a predetermined time, the rotation of gear 29 brings the cam 34around to Contact the cam follower'Zl, which is kept in contact withgroove 2-8 andv cam 3ft by springs. Cam 34 causes bar 23 to move to theright as shown in Fig. 1, thus moving gripper fingers Il', which arenormally in the position shown in broken lines, toward stationarypresser fingers i8 in an arcuate path.

Inrits movement toward the right, thecurved portion I9 of the gripperfingers il catches the length of yarn it, as the fabric web passes overthe table of the tuftinfz machine, and presses theyarn into contact withthe curved portion 24 ofthe resilient presser finger ES, 'Thecooperative-movement of the fingers Il and i8 pulls the length of yarnl5 an appreciable distance out of the fabric web and movement of thefabric web by the rotation rf the serrated discs i! on the feed shaft lcompletes the removal of the length of yarn from the fabric web.

The cam on gear 29 driven by drive shaft 6 synchronizes the movement ofbar 23with the movement of the tuftingoperation of the machine.

Y It is believed that the operation ofmy novel attachment will beapparent from the above description. Y

. The embodiment of my invention shown and described herein isV to beconsidered merely as ilustrative, as my invention is susceptible tovariation, modification. and change within the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for forming in a fabric web being fedtherethrough aplurality of spaced tufts composed `of a predetermined number of cutloops of'. yarn and joined by a length of yarn, means for removing saidlength of yarn comprising a stationary resilient finger and' a movablerigid finger cooperating with said stationary finger to hold-'saidlength of yarn therebetween for a predetermined length of time. i

2. In a machine for forming in a fabric web being fed therethrough aplurality of spaced tufts composed of a predetermined number of outloops of yarn and joined by a length of yarn, means for removingv saidlength of yarncomprising a stationary resilient finger and a-movA ablerigid finger cooperating withV said stationary finger to hold saidlength of yarn therebetween fon aY predetermined length of time, andmeans operatively connected to said machine for moving .said rigidfinger.

Number 3. In a machine for forming in a fabric web being fedtherethrough a plurality of spaced tufts composed of a predeterminednumber of cut loops of yarn and joined by a length of yarn, means forremoving said length of yarn comprising a stationary resilient finger, amovable rigid finger, a bar for holding said rigid finger, and mea-nsoperatively connected to said machine formoving said'bar to cause saidrigid finger to move toward and cooperate with said resilient finger tohold said length of yarn therebetween for. afpredetermined length oftime.

4. In a machine for forming in a fabric web being fedtherethrough aplurality of spaced tufts composed offavpredetermined number of cutloops ofV yarn and joinedJ by a length of yarn, means for removing.said, length of yarn comprising a stationary resilient finger, a movablerigid linger, a barfor holding said rigid finger, and a cam operated bysaid machine for moving said bar to cause' said rigidl finger to movetoward andicooperatef with said resilient finger to hold. said length ofyarn therebetween for apredetermined length of time.

5. In a machine for forming in a fabric web being fed therethrough aplurality of spaced tufts composed of a predetermined number ofcutloopsofyarn, and joined by a length of yarn,- means; forremoving'said length of yarn comprisinga-.f stationary resilient finger,a movable rigidfinger, abar for holding said-,rigid finger, a camformov` ing saidY bar to cause said'rigidfinger-to move toward andcooperate withY said resilient finger; to holdsaid lengthof yarntherebetween forapredetermined; length of time, and a gear operated bysaid machine for rotating saidcam.

6. In ay machine-for formingin aV fabric web lbeing fed therethrough aplurality of spacedztufts composed of a predetermined number-of-cutloops of yarn and joined by a length of yarn,kmean sl for removing saidlength of yarn comprisingfa;r stationary resilient nger, a movable rigidfinger, a bar for holding said rigid finger, a-cam for mov-,- ing saidbar to cause said rigid finger-'to move towardandcooperate-withsaidresilient nger to hold said length of yarn therebetween, and aV gearrotated-by thedrive shaftof the machinefor rotatin'gsaid cam.

7. In anmachne for forming in av fabric web being fed therethrough aplurality of spacedY tufts composed of aAV predetermined number ofcutloops-of yarn-and joined by alength of yarn, means forl removing aplurality of lengths oft yarn simultaneously comprising a plurality ofstationary resilientfingers, a movable rigid-fingen cooperating withyeach of said resilient. lingers, a bar-for holding'said rigid fingers, acamfor moving; said bar to cause said rigid fingers to movev toward andinv contact with said resilient fingers to holdl the lengths,` of yarntherebetween and agear operated by said machine for rotating said; Cam.

ARTIS.V ELMER CHARLES.

Y Rnrnnnnons errno The following references are of record-inthe fileof'thisv patent:V Y

UNITED STATES PATENTS,

Name Date-y Y 1,211,933 Granz v Jan. 9,191.7.VV 2,218,123

smith` oct. 15.19.40.

